Solar panel unit and solar power generation apparatus

Abstract

A second panel and a third panel are disposed on both sides of a first panel in the width direction, a fourth panel is disposed at a position symmetrical with the first panel with respect to the second panel and third panel, the respective panels have the same length and are disposed parallel to each other, and a step is provided with a gap between the first panel and the second panel or the third panel, and between the fourth panel and the second panel or the third panel.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A solar panel unit comprising:
 a first panel provided with a module having a photovoltaic element on a front surface of the first panel; 
 a second panel provided with a module having a photovoltaic element on a front surface of the second panel, the second panel disposed on a first side of the first panel in a width direction, the second panel disposed at a position behind the first panel in a direction orthogonal to the front surface of the first panel with a predetermined distance therebetween as viewed from a front surface side of the first panel; 
 a third panel provided with a module having a photovoltaic element on a front surface of the third panel, the third panel disposed on a second side of the first panel opposite to the first side of the first panel in the width direction, the third panel disposed at a position behind the first panel in the direction orthogonal to the front surface of the second panel with a predetermined distance therebetween as viewed from the front surface side of the first panel; and 
 a fourth panel disposed at a position located in the direction orthogonal to the front surface of the first panel, 
 wherein a length of the second panel is equal to a length of the first panel, and the front surface of the second panel is parallel to the front surface of the first panel, 
 wherein a length of the third panel is equal to the length of the first panel, a width of the third panel is equal to a width of the second panel, and the front surface of the third panel is parallel to the front surface of the first panel, 
 wherein the fourth panel is not provided with a module having a photovoltaic element on a front surface of the fourth panel, a length of the fourth panel is equal to the length of the first panel, a width of the fourth panel is equal to a width of the first panel, and the front surface of the fourth panel is parallel to the front surface of the first panel, 
 wherein a first gap is formed between the first panel and the second panel, a second gap is formed between the first panel and the third panel, a third gap is formed between the first panel and the fourth panel, a fourth gap is formed between the second panel and the third panel, and the fourth panel does not directly contact the second panel or the third panel, 
 wherein the second panel, the third panel, and the fourth panel are arranged such that, if the front surface of the second panel, the front surface of the third panel, and the front surface of the fourth panel are arranged in an imaginary plane by only vertical movement without moving any of the second panel, the third panel, or the fourth panel horizontally, the front surface of the fourth panel does not overlap with the front surface of the second panel or the front surface of the third panel, 
 wherein a size of the first gap is smaller than a size of the third gap, and 
 wherein a size of the second gap is smaller than the size of the third gap wherein the fourth panel comprises a through hole that extends in a direction orthogonal to the front surface of the first panel. 
 
     
     
       2. The solar panel unit according to  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the width of the first panel to a total panel unit width is W, the total panel unit width being a sum of the width of the first panel, the width of the second panel, and the width of the third panel, and a ratio of a step between the front surface of the first panel and the front surface of the second panel to the total panel unit width is S, the step between the front surface of the first panel and the front surface of the second panel being equal to the step between the front surface of the second panel and the front surface of the fourth panel, the following relationship is established;
 0.90-1.00 W≤S at 0.30≤W≤0.40 
 1.02-1.30 W≤S at 0.40≤W≤0.63 
 0.52-0.50≤W S at 0.63≤W≤0.73 
 0.15≤S at 0.73≤W≤0.90. 
 
     
     
       3. The solar panel unit according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the fourth panel has: 
 a lid capable of opening and closing the through hole; and 
 an opening/closing mechanism for opening and closing the lid. 
 
     
     
       4. The solar panel unit according to  claim 3 , wherein the fourth panel is configured such that an outer surface of the lid is disposed on the same plane as an outer surface of the fourth panel in a state where the lid closes the through hole. 
     
     
       5. The solar panel unit according to  claim 3 , wherein the fourth panel is configured such that the lid is positioned parallel to the wind direction in a state where the lid opens the through hole. 
     
     
       6. The solar panel unit according to  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the fourth panel is set smaller than thicknesses of the first panel, the second panel and the third panel, and a weight of the fourth panel is set smaller than a weight of the first panel. 
     
     
       7. The solar panel unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the module of each of the first panel, the second panel, and the third panel further includes a light-collecting optical member which collects sun light on the photovoltaic element. 
     
     
       8. The solar panel unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the fourth panel has a cutaway portion into or out of which a support strut supporting the first panel to fourth panel extends. 
     
     
       9. A solar power generation apparatus comprising:
 the solar panel unit according to  claim 1 ; 
 a support strut supporting the first panel, the second panel, the third panel, and the fourth panel of the solar panel unit; and 
 a two-axis rotation mechanism disposed between the support strut and the panel, the two-axis rotation mechanism being configured to move the solar panel unit in an elevation angle direction and in an azimuth direction independently from each other, 
 wherein a center of gravity of the solar panel unit and a center of a rotation axis of the two-axis rotation mechanism agree with each other. 
 
     
     
       10. The solar power generation apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the two-axis rotation mechanism is provided in a region surrounded by the first panel, the second panel, the third panel, and the fourth panel of the solar panel unit. 
     
     
       11. A solar panel unit comprising:
 a first panel having a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a first photovoltaic module that receives sun light through the first surface; 
 a second panel having a third surface, a fourth surface opposite to the third surface, and a second photovoltaic module that receives sun light through the third surface; 
 a third panel having a fifth surface, a sixth surface opposite to the fifth surface, and a third photovoltaic module that receives sun light through the fifth surface; and 
 a fourth panel having a seventh surface and an eighth surface opposite to the seventh surface, 
 wherein the fourth surface and the sixth surface are present on the same imaginary plane, 
 wherein the second surface, the eighth surface, and the imaginary plane are parallel to each other, 
 wherein a first distance between the second surface and the imaginary plane is smaller than a second distance between the second surface and the eighth surface, 
 wherein, when the second surface is moved vertically onto the imaginary plane without being moved horizontally, the second surface does not overlap with the fourth surface and the sixth surface, 
 wherein, when the seventh surface is vertically moved onto the imaginary plane without being moved horizontally, the seventh surface does not overlap with the fourth surface and the sixth surface, 
 wherein a length of the first panel, a length of the second panel, a length of the third panel, and a length of the fourth panel are equal, 
 wherein a width of the first panel and a width of the fourth panel are equal, 
 wherein a width of the second panel and a width of the third panel are equal, 
 wherein the first panel is directly connected to a connecting portion connected to a support portion, 
 wherein the second panel, the third panel and the fourth panel are not directly connected to the connecting portion, 
 wherein the first panel, the second panel, the third panel and the fourth panel are connected to each other, 
 wherein a thickness of the second panel and a thickness of the third panel are smaller than the first distance, 
 wherein a thickness of the fourth panel is smaller than a distance between the imaginary plane and the eighth surface, and 
 wherein a first gap is formed between the first panel and the second panel, a second gap is formed between the first panel and the third panel, a third gap is formed between the first panel and the fourth panel, a fourth gap is formed between the second panel and the third panel, and the fourth panel does not directly contact the second panel or the third panel wherein the fourth panel comprises a through hole that extends in a direction orthogonal to the first surface of the first panel. 
 
     
     
       12. The solar panel unit according to  claim 11 , wherein the fourth panel is not provided with a photovoltaic module.